PD Friends,
My neuologist has switched me off of requip and onto artane
(trihexyphenadyl). (I'm not taking sinemet yet.) I'm half way
through the build-up to a therapeutic dosage. Currently I'm taking 5
2mg tablets per day (Am:2 Noon:1 PM:2). The side effect that has
bothered me the most was the dizzy spells just after I increase the
dosage. This was evidently something different. My last increase
was Sunday, when I added the second AM tablet. (BTW, I felt
significantly dizzy Sunday AM.)
This morning I had to open my work computer up to install some
equipment. I normally work more with software than the hardware, but
I've done this kind of thing often enough for it to be a routine
procedure. Anyway I had the guts of my G3 Mac spread out on the
table and was testing the new switch when "it" hit. A friend
happened to be in the office at the time asking me some technical
questions. I was trying to do both things at the same time - again
nothing that I've not done many times before.
I began to get really shaky. Much more so that just my usual left
hand tremor. I was shaking all over. I began to get short of breath
and sweat profusely. Gene alsked if I were OK when he saw that I had
stopped everything to deal with this new phenomenon. My answer to
him was "No, I'm not OK." I used a bit of deep breathing and bit of
qigung (a Chinese technique). I rapidly began to feel better. The
whole episode lasted maybe 5 or 10 minutes.
From descriptions I read, this must be similar to a panic attack
except I never felt any real panic, perhaps because I brought it
under control so quickly once I applied myself. Maybe it was
something else, like low BP. (Low BP is not unusual for me.)
After I had reassembled my computer and relaxed myself a bit, I went
down to the first aid station to have my BP taken. The nurse
measured it as 130/78, which is not unreasonable. Just for kicks I
asked her to take it a second time - this time with my qigung in
action. She had to repeat the measurement twice before she'd believe
it. My new BP was 120/70. I'd dropped my BP ten points in 30
seconds. She quizzed me fairly closly about just how I had achieved
this feat.
My question for any of you who have taken artane: is this "panic
attack" something that has happened to you? Anyting similar? I
don't recall anything like this being mentioned in the various
"package inserts" for artane.
Bill
(55 now, dx @ age 54, first symptoms @ 53)
PS - Please send me a direct copy of any reply. I'm in digest mode
so I won't see your list reply until the list server decides to sen
another digest.
PPS - I've got a call into my neuro about this, also.
--
Bill Innanen <mailto: [log in to unmask]>
Voice: (240) 228-6968 Fax: (240) 228-6583
Johns Hopkins Univ. Applied Physics Lab. Air Defense Systems Dept.
--
Bill Innanen <mailto: [log in to unmask]>
<http://Bill.Innanen.com> & <http://mni.ms>
